How to Maximize Flexibility

(NewsUSA) - For small businesses, it's a thin line between success and failure. Flexibility is key. This ability to respond swiftly often gives small businesses a desirable advantage over their much-larger competitors because they can adapt to take advantage of growing opportunities and changes in their particular industries. "The reality is, owners must constantly look to evolve," says Steven Rogers, professor of entrepreneurship at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. "The business they're in today may not be the business they're in tomorrow." Looking ahead and adapting also includes costs and competition. So, how can small businesses stay nimble in the face of these challenges? Here are three can-do items to add to your small-business flexibility list: 1. Look for a niche. Small businesses often can spot and react more quickly to market trends. If you don't already have something in mind, the U.S. Small Business Administration suggests conducting a market survey with current and/or potential customers to uncover untapped needs. Look for areas that are being ignored by your competitors. Maybe it's a certain feature in a product or a tool aimed at a small but passionate audience. 2. Find technology that fits multiple needs. Larger businesses may have receptionists, IT departments and contractors, but for small businesses, implementing technology that has a big-business look and functionality without the cost is a must. For instance, changing the phone system to an easy-to-use AT&T Syn248 Deskset and Gateway system (smbtelephones.att.com/syn248) can trim expenses because it's designed for start-ups and small-sized businesses. It involves a quick and simple set-up and is compatible with existing networks. The system is also convenient to manage and has all the functionality busy offices need, such as built-in voicemail, contact storage, do-not-disturb, paging, conferencing and call forwarding. Expandability is a cinch for growing small businesses -- just add phones as needed. 3. Cultivate communication within. You can often find the best strategies by asking around the office. Talk to your employees daily about their ideas for growth and hopes for the future. Keeping that channel of communication alive will help you identify inefficiencies and new opportunities. This way, you're not only finding ways to increase production and profitability, you're also making your employees feel more invested in your small business. More articles in Richnet. Think mobile: marketing tips for local businesses   Dangote: Now Forbes African Most Powerful man Certifications: the new key to employment Sayings about Money

Think mobile: marketing tips for local businesses

(BPT) - No doubt about it, mobile technology is transforming the way consumers live and businesses operate. Today nearly 5 billion people use mobile phones around the world, with 1 billion of those phones being smartphones. According to research conducted by venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, Americans check their smartphones more than 150 times a day.

Thanks to mobile technology, businesses of all sizes and industries - from y our local brick and mortar shop to your favorite online retail site - have the opportunity to easily reach people on the go.

Take Accents Style for example. This clothing boutique in Arlington, Texas, creatively reaches mobile customers by hanging incentives in the dressing rooms, including a 10 percent discount on a purchase when customers "check-in," and a free pair of gold or silver hoop earrings when they "like" Accents Style's Facebook page. Lucy Huang, owner of the business, says that her mobile efforts are paying off.

"Our posts get great responses. The check-ins via mobile are big incentives for our customers to come into our boutique," she says.

Mobile is a vital channel for you to reach your customers and will only continue to grow. While mobile is a great vehicle for businesses to market to their customers, many business owners don't know where to start or think it's too complicated to do well. Below are answers to some of the most-asked questions from local businesses on how to more effectively reach the right audiences on the go.

                   {Read: Major challenges for a Business Start-up}


1. As a business owner, how do I market on mobile without using a ton of resources? I'm just one person and don't have the time.

A business' social presence is a free and easy way to connect with potential customers on mobile. That's because what you do on your page instantly translates to mobile - and your customers are already there, waiting to hear from you. Of the 1.15 billion people on Facebook, more than 70 percent access the site from their mobile phone.

Furthermore, people on the go are actively looking for businesses in their area: according to a recent Google study, 95 percent of smartphone users search for local information and 59 percent of smartphone users visited in-person after searching for local information. To effectively reach the right customer at the right time, you can tap in to the mobile ad targeting features available across many social platforms. For example, you can target people broadly or narrow down to specifics such as gender and interests. BarkBox, a company that delivers a monthly box of dog goodies (treats, products, toys, etc.) to dog owners, targeted friends of their fans on Facebook who were females and had an interest in dogs. After seeing success, BarkBox deepened their targeting by adding in geographic areas and age ranges and saw even greater results.

           {Read: How to Handle Risk in Market Place?}

2. What are the best ways to create mobile ads?

Given people on their phones usually have limited time and attention spans, it's important to create compelling and concise content including photos and short videos. For example, North Carolina-based barbecue company Bone Suckin' Sauce promoted its Facebook photo post on mobile with the hook: "Which is better on the grill? Fish, chicken, vegetables, or steaks?" - to encourage conversation among fans. The company saw an 83 percent increase in online store sales as a result of promoting posts like these.

3. How can I manage my mobile marketing when I'm on the go, too?

Tools like Facebook's Pages Manager app or Hoot Suite's Social Media Manager app allow you to manage your pages on the go, whether you post photos, respond to customers via comments, or create ad campaigns.

You need to think mobile to grow your business

Just looking at the growing number of times per day people access the Web on their phones, it's no secret that mobile marketing needs to become an integral part of your consumer marketing strategy. So don't wait any longer: Think mobile and you'll be able to reach new customers and keep current customers returning.

Source: Brandcontent

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